Search Results (32)

This study investigates the co-pyrolysis behavior of two lignocellulosic biomass blends, bamboo (B), and rice straw (R) with a plastic polyethylene (P). A total of 15 samples, including binary and ternary blends, were analyzed. Firstly, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was performed to reveal high crystallinity in the B25R75 blend (I/I_c = 13.39). Whereas, the polyethylene samples showed persistent ZrP₂O₇ and lazurite phases (I/I_c up to 3.12) attributed to additives introduced during the manufacturing of the commercial plastic feedstock. In addition, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) spectroscopy was performed to characterize the surface morphology and elemental composition of the feedstock. Moreover, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was employed at temperatures up to 700 °C at three different heating rates (5, 10, and 20 °C/min) under pyrolysis conditions. Kinetic analysis used TGA data to calculate activation energy via Friedman’s isoconversional method, and the blended samples exhibited a decrease in activation energy compared to the individual components. Furthermore, the study evaluated transient interaction effects among the components by assessing the deviation between experimental and theoretical weight loss. This revealed the presence of significant synergistic behavior in certain binary and ternary blends. The results demonstrate that co-pyrolysis of bamboo and rice straw with polyethylene enhances thermal decomposition efficiency and provides a more favorable energy recovery route. Full article

Background: Diphenhydramine is an anti-tussive used periodically to treat seasonal colds, contact dermatitis, and anaphylactic reactions. This study aimed to develop a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model of diphenhydramine in predicting its systemic exposure among healthy pediatrics (children and adolescents) by leveraging data files from adults (young and elderly). Methods: The data profiles comprising serum/plasma concentration over time and parameters related to diphenhydramine were scrutinized via exhaustive literature analysis and consolidated in the PK-Sim software version 11.1. This modeling methodology commences with developing an adult model and then translating it to the pediatrics which compares the predicted concentration–time datasets with the reported values. Results: The accuracy of model anticipations was then assessed for each pharmacokinetics (PK) variable, i.e., the area under the curve from 0 to infinity (AUC_0-∞), maximal serum/plasma concentration (C_max), and clearance of the diphenhydramine in plasma (CL) by employing the predicted/observed ratios (R_pre/obs), and average fold error (AFE), which fell within the pre-defined benchmark of 2-fold. The predicted and observed C_max values for pediatrics were 3-fold greater in comparison to the young adults following a 25 mg dose depicting a need to monitor dosage schedules among children closely. Conclusions: These model-based anticipations confirmed the authenticity of the developed pediatric model and enhanced the comprehension of developmental variations on PK of diphenhydramine. This may assist healthcare professionals in ensuring the significance of lifespan applicability in personalized dose regimens, promoting therapeutic efficacy and minimizing side effects in chronic conditions among children. Full article

The production of citric acid, a vital agricultural commodity utilized across various industries such as food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, detergents, and cosmetics, predominantly relies on microbial fermentation, with Aspergillus niger accounting for approximately 90% of global production. In this study, we aimed to optimize the key factors influencing citric acid production, with a focus on strains, fermentation techniques, and carbon sources, particularly sugarcane molasses. A. niger, sourced from the Botany department/Biotechnology laboratories at Govt. College of Science, Lahore, was employed for citric acid production. The process involved inoculum preparation through spore collection from 3 to 5 days of cultured PDA slants. The fermentation medium, comprising cane molasses with a 15% sugar concentration, was meticulously prepared and optimized for various factors, including magnesium sulfate, potassium ferrocyanide, time of addition of potassium ferrocyanide, ammonium oxalate, and calcium chloride. Our optimization results shed light on the significant impact of different factors on citric acid production. For instance, the addition of 0.4 g/L magnesium sulfate led to a maximum yield of 75%, while 2 g/L potassium ferrocyanide, added at 24 h, achieved a yield of 78%. Remarkably, ammonium oxalate, at a concentration of 10 g/L, resulted in a notable 77% yield. Conversely, the addition of calcium chloride exhibited negligible effects on citric acid production, with the control group yielding more at 78%. Our study underscores the potential for optimizing factors to enhance citric acid production by A. niger in submerged fermentation. These findings highlight the pivotal role of magnesium sulfate, potassium ferrocyanide, and ammonium oxalate in augmenting citric acid yields while emphasizing the minimal impact of calcium chloride. Ultimately, these insights contribute to advancing our understanding of microbial citric acid biosynthesis, providing valuable implications for industrial applications and future research endeavors. Full article

This paper offers a novel dual-mode double stator wound rotor synchronous machine for variable speed applications. The proposed motor integrates the benefits of both the traditional wound rotor synchronous machine (WRSM) and brushless wound rotor synchronous machine (BL-WRSM). A constant torque can be attained in the maximum torque per ampere region by operating the proposed machine as a traditional WRSM in Mode I, and a constant power can be attained in the field-weakening region by operating it as a BL-WRSM in Mode II. Moreover, due to the dual-stator structure, the proposed machine exhibits improved performance in terms of high torque density as compared to the existing single stator BL-WRSM. By using a special stator winding arrangement to achieve the sub-harmonic component of the stator magnetomotive force, the brushless operation of the proposed machine is achieved. The additional sub-harmonic component induces a voltage in the harmonic winding placed on the rotor, which is then rectified and provided a DC current to field winding for brushless excitation. In order to validate the effectiveness of the proposed machine, a two-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) is carried out. Full article

Milk and sodium alginate beads (SA) as encapsulation materials can improve the viability of Lacticaseibacillus acidophilus LAC5. The present study focused on interactive structural optimization of milk and SA-based beads for improved survival of L. acidophilus LAC5 in cheddar cheese. L. acidophilus was microencapsulated using varying concentrations of milk and SA, e.g., T₀ (Milk/SA 0:0), T₁ (Milk/SA 1/1:1), T₂ (Milk/SA 1/2:1), T₃ (Milk/SA 1/1:1.5), T₄ (Milk/SA1/2:1.5), T₅ (Milk/SA 1/1:2.0) and T₆ (Milk/SA 1/2:2.0). Free and encapsulated L. acidophilus were compared for their survival in gastroenteric conditions. Structural and spectral analysis was performed using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR). The free and encapsulated probiotics were incorporated into cheddar cheese. Organic acids were quantified using HPLC. The combination of SA and milk significantly (p < 0.05) improved the survival of L. acidophilus as compared to free cells. The increase in polymer concentration improved the structure of beads and the survival of probiotics. However, the release profile of beads decreased with the increase in polymer concentration. FTIR showed the presence of milk and SA in the beads. Better storage stability (10⁸ CFU/mL) was observed for T₆ in all the treatments as compared to free cells. The addition of encapsulated cells improved the sensory characteristics of cheese. This may help the local food industry to utilize native probiotic strains to be incorporated into probiotic foods with improved bio-accessibility. Full article

This study examined psychological health and coping strategies among faculty and staff at a Saudi Arabian university. A web-based self-administered survey was used to assess probable anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and coping strategies by using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and Brief-COPE scale, respectively. Of 502 participants (mean age 36.04 ± 10.32 years, male: 66.3%), 24.1% (GAD-7 ≥ 10) had probable anxiety. Anxiety score was significantly higher in females (p < 0.001), those with a history of COVID-19 infection (p = 0.036), and participants with less work experience (p = 0.019). Approximately 40% of participants met the criteria of probable depression, with females (p < 0.001) and participants with less experience having more depressive symptoms. Around one-fourth (27.7%) of study participants indicated probable PTSD (score ≥ 33), with higher symptoms in females (p <0.001), less experienced staff (p < 0.001), and academic staff (p = 0.006). Correlation analysis indicated a significant positive correlation between anxiety and depression (r = 0.844, p < 0.001), anxiety and PTSD (r = 0.650, p < 0.001), and depression and PTSD (r = 0.676, p < 0.001). Active coping, religious/spiritual coping, and acceptance were common coping strategies, while substance use was the least adopted coping method among the study participants. This study indicated a high prevalence of probable psychological ailments among university staff. Full article

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) hold great promise to degrade and detoxify industrial-based effluents. The Reactive Red 45 dye aqueous solutions were treated with AOP using UV and gamma radiation alone and then in the presence of H₂O₂. The dye initial concentration, UV exposure time, and gamma-ray absorbed dose were optimized for maximum degradation. The degradation of dye was 88.85% and 77.7% using UV/H₂O₂ (1 mL/L) at a UV exposure time of 180 min for 50 mg/L and 100 mg/L, respectively. The degradation was noted as 100% and 93.82% as the solutions were subjected to a gamma/H₂O₂ (1 mL/L) absorbed dose of 2 kGy. The chemical oxygen demand was reduced to 77% and 85% by treating the dye samples with UV/H₂O₂ and gamma/H₂O₂, respectively. The removal efficiency (G-value), dose constant (k), D_0.50, D_0.90, and D_0.99 for gamma-irradiated samples were also calculated. The reduction in toxicity for treated samples was monitored by using the Allium cepa, Hemolytic, and brine shrimp (Artemia salina) tests while the Ames test was performed for mutagenic assessment. The A. cepa test showed 39.13%, 36.36%, and 47.82% increases in root length (RL), root count (RC), and mitotic index (MI), respectively, in UV/H₂O₂-treated samples while 48.78%, 48.14%, and 57.14% increases were shown with gamma-ray in conjunction with H₂O₂. The hemolytic test showed 21.25% and 23.21% hemolysis after UV/H₂O₂ and gamma/H₂O₂ treatments, respectively. The brine shrimp (Artemia salina) test showed 84.09% and 90.90% decreases in the nauplii death after UV/H₂O₂ and gamma/H₂O₂ treatments, respectively. The mutagenicity of UV/H₂O₂-treated solutions was reduced up to 84.41% and 77.87%, while it was 87.83% and 80.88% using gamma/H₂O₂ using TA98 and TA100 bacterial strains, respectively. The advanced oxidation processes based on UV and gamma radiation in conjunction with H₂O₂ can be applied for the degradation and detoxification of textile waste effluents efficiently. Full article

Numerous investigations on plant ethnomedicinal applications have been conducted; however, knowledge about the medicinal use of wild animals is still limited. This present study is the second on the medicinal and cultural meaning of avian and mammalian species used by the population in the surrounding area of the Ayubia National Park, KPK, Pakistan. Interviews and meetings were compiled from the participants (N = 182) of the study area. The relative frequency of citation, fidelity level, relative popularity level, and rank order priority indices were applied to analyze the information. Overall, 137 species of wild avian and mammalian species were documented. Of these, 18 avian and 14 mammalian species were utilized to treat different diseases. The present research showed noteworthy ethno-ornithological and ethno-mammalogical knowledge of local people and their connection with fauna, which might be useful in the sustainable utilization of the biological diversity of the Ayubia National Park, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Furthermore, in vivo and/or in vitro examination of the pharmacological activities of species with the highest fidelity level (FL%) as well as frequency of mention (FM) might be important for investigations on faunal-based new drugs. Full article

In the present research, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were tested for their use as seed priming agents under field trials on tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) for their efficacy in conferring drought tolerance. Four different seed priming regimes of SeNPs were created, comprising 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm, along with a control treatment of 0 ppm. Seeds were planted in split plots under two irrigation regimes comprising water and water stress. The results suggest that seed priming with SeNPs can improve tomato crop performance under drought stress. Plants grown with 75 ppm SeNPs-primed seeds had lower hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels by 39.3% and 28.9%, respectively. Seed priming with 75 ppm SeNPs further increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) functions by 34.9 and 25.4%, respectively. The same treatment increased the total carotenoids content by 13.5%, α-tocopherols content by 22.8%, total flavonoids content by 25.2%, total anthocyanins content by 19.6%, ascorbic acid content by 26.4%, reduced glutathione (GSH) content by 14.8%, and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) content by 13.12%. Furthermore, seed priming with SeNPs upregulated the functions of enzymes of ascorbate glutathione cycle. Seed priming with SeNPs is a smart application to sustain tomato production in arid lands. Full article

Sustainable chemistry is a relatively new field that aims to achieve both economic and environmental goals simultaneously. This paper discusses a cleaner and more sustainable method for dyeing cotton fabric using Direct Violet 09 and Reactive Violet 05 dye. It has been noticed that good color characteristics were obtained when cotton fabric was dyed with 35 mL of microwave-treated Reactive Violet 05 dye solution of 7 pH and 2 g Aluminum sulfate for 30 min at 60 °C. When dyeing cotton fabric with Direct Violet 09 dye, it has been observed that cotton fabric, when microwave treated for 6 min and dyed at 80 °C for 50 min using 35 mL of non-treated dye solution of 7 pH with 2 g Potassium sulfate, produces good results. The colorfastness of the dyed fabrics using ISO standards was also evaluated. Overall, it was found that the use of microwave radiation improves the sustainability of the dyeing process. Full article

In this article, an attempt is made to propose a novel method of lifetime distributions with maximum flexibility using a popular T–X approach together with an exponential distribution, which is known as the New Generalized Logarithmic-X Family (NGLog–X for short) of distributions. Additionally, the generalized form of the Weibull distribution was derived by using the NGLog–X family, known as the New Generalized Logarithmic Weibull (NGLog–Weib) distribution. For the proposed method, some statistical properties, including the moments, moment generating function (MGF), residual and reverse residual life, identifiability, order statistics, and quantile functions, were derived. The estimation of the model parameters was derived by using the well-known method of maximum likelihood estimation (MLE). A comprehensive Monte Carlo simulation study (MCSS) was carried out to evaluate the performance of these estimators by computing the biases and mean square errors. Finally, the NGLog–Weib distribution was implemented on four real biomedical datasets and compared with some other distributions, such as the Alpha Power Transformed Weibull distribution, Marshal Olkin Weibull distribution, New Exponent Power Weibull distribution, Flexible Reduced Logarithmic Weibull distribution, and Kumaraswamy Weibull distribution. The analysis results demonstrate that the new proposed model performs as a better fit than the other competitive distributions. Full article

Hydro generation is the simplest and oldest method of electricity generation, with a century of successful operation. Using a pump as a turbine (PAT) is an optimal solution for minimizing the cost, particularly in low-head and small-scale hydro plants. Commercially available centrifugal pumps have become a popular solution for small-scale hydro and pumped-hydro facilities owing to their simple geometry, ease of operation, maintenance, and abundant availability in local markets. Variations in the water flow in hydro facilities, such as pumped-hydro and small-scale hydro facilities, are common; however, a PAT is unable to respond to variable flows because it is a fixed-speed device. To overcome this problem, different techniques have been suggested by researchers: (a) a system of parallel PATs; (b) geometrical modifications in the impeller of the PAT; and (c) power electronics-based variable frequency drives. All the aforementioned techniques have limitations, such as low output, high cost, complexity, transportation, and operation and maintenance. In this study, a simple and economical technique is proposed to smooth the output of a PAT on variable/decreasing water flow profiles. In the proposed technique, water columns connected in parallel (PWCs) are used to produce a pressurized water flow, as they have a convergent nozzle at the outlet. The PWC creates more space for water, and this additional mass of water boosts the water flow at the outlet. In this manner, the PWC technique maintains the flow at the inlet of the turbine. A serial integration of five PWCs with the same dimensions was conducted to inject the additional flow into the existing PAT penstock, governing a 37-kW generator. The design flow was maintained at 192.1 L/s without any additional power usage at the inlet of the PAT, and the output was smoothed even at the minimum water flow/head. Pump design and computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed using ANSYS software, whereas generator simulations were performed using MATLAB/Simulink software. Full article

In developing nations, environmental policies have not given nearly enough consideration to the role that environmentally friendly innovation plays. Green innovation and long-term financial performance are extremely dependent on one another. Despite the fact that numerous studies have investigated the impact that a variety of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities have had on environmental sustainability, relatively few have investigated the implications of green innovation strategies and sustainability. From the mid-2021 through to mid-2022, information was gathered from 184 businesses listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) across 12 different industries. Estimates of the results were obtained by the use of structural equation modeling using partial least squares (PLS-SEM). The outcomes of the study indicated that all parts of CSR were positively significant in the process of fostering environmentally sustainable growth, with the exception of one aspect of CSR that was directed toward customers. Additionally, sustainable development contributes to the mediation impact that green innovation has, making this effect even more powerful. The data show that CSR activities have an exceptional impact on financial performance (FP) in all aspects other than one, and that green innovation (GI) also has a high-quality impact on FP, which demonstrates the significance of CSR practices in enhancing sustainable environment. Full article

Introduction: The vaccination of children against Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a prime area of focus around the globe and is considered a pivotal challenge during the ongoing pandemic. This study aimed to assess parents′ intentions to vaccinate their children and the barriers related to pediatric COVID-19 vaccination. Methodology: An online web-based survey was conducted to recruit parents with at least one child under the age of 12 years from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Jouf region. The parental intentions to vaccinate children were assessed via six items, while barriers against vaccination were assessed through seven items in validated study instrument. A 5-point Likert scale was used to record the responses of parents regarding both their intentions and barriers. Results: In total, 444 parents (28.41 ± 7.4 years, 65% females) participated in this study. Almost 90% of parents were vaccinated against COVID-19 but only 42% of parents intended to vaccinate their children. The mean intention score was 2.9 ± 1.36. More than one-third of study participants had no plan to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. The majority of the respondents agreed to vaccinate their children if vaccination was made compulsory by the government (relative index: 0.76, 73%). Out of seven potential barriers analyzed, concerns over vaccine safety and side effects were ranked highest (RII: 0.754), reported by 290 (65%) participants. In multivariate logistic regression, significant predictors of parental intention to vaccinate children were the increased education level of the parents (secondary education: OR = 3.617, p = 0.010; tertiary education: OR = 2.775, p = 0.042), COVID-19 vaccination status (vaccinated: OR = 7.062, p = 0.003), mother’s involvement in decisions regarding the child’s healthcare (mother: OR 4.353, p < 0.001; both father and mother: OR 3.195, p < 0.001) and parents’ trust in the vaccine’s safety (OR = 2.483, p = 0.022). Conclusions: This study underscored the low intention among parents to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. Vaccination intention was found to be associated with education, parents’ vaccination status, the mother’s involvement in healthcare decisions, and parents’ trust in the vaccine’s safety. On the other hand, parents’ concerns over the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine were widely reported as barriers to childhood vaccination. The health authorities should focus on addressing parental concerns about vaccines to improve their COVID-19 vaccination coverage. Full article

Background: Individuals with underlying chronic illnesses have demonstrated considerable hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines. These concerns are primarily attributed to their concerns over the safety profile. Real-world data on the safety profile among COVID-19 vaccinees with comorbid conditions are scarce. This study aimed to ascertain the side-effects profile after two doses of COVID-19 vaccines among chronic-disease patients. Methodology: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among faculty members with comorbid conditions at a public educational institute in Saudi Arabia. A 20-item questionnaire recorded the demographics and side effects after the two doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The frequency of side effects was recorded following each dose of vaccine, and the association of the side-effects score with the demographics was ascertained through appropriate statistics. Results: A total of 204 patients with at least one comorbid condition were included in this study. A total of 24 side effects were reported after the first dose and 22 after second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The incidence of at least one side effect was 88.7% and 95.1% after the first and second doses of the vaccine, respectively. The frequent side effects after the first dose were pain at the injection site (63.2%), fatigue (58.8%), fever (47.5%), muscle and joint pain (38.7%), and headache (36.3%). However, pain at the injection site (71.1%), muscle and joint pain (62.7%), headache (49.5%), fever (45.6%), and stress (33.3%) were frequent after the second dose. The average side-effects score was 4.41 ± 4.18 (median: 3, IQR: 1, 6) and 4.79 ± 3.54 (median 4, IQR: 2, 6) after the first and second dose, respectively. Female gender, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, comorbidity > 2, family history of COVID-19, and the AstraZeneca vaccine were significantly associated with higher side-effect scores. Only 35.8% of study participants were satisfied with the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Conclusions: Our analysis showed a high proportion of transient and short-lived side effects of Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines among individuals with chronic illnesses. However, the side-effects profile was comparable with the safety reports of phase 3 clinical trials of these vaccines. The frequency of side effects was found to be associated with certain demographics, necessitating the need for further investigations to establish a causal relationship. The current study’s findings will help instill confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines among people living with chronic conditions, overcome vaccine hesitancy, and increase vaccine coverage in this population. Full article